Photographer 1 : Eugène Atget

Eugene Atget never called himself a photographer; instead he preferred "author-producer." A private, almost reclusive man, Atget first tried at painting and acting, then began to photograph vieux Paris (Old Paris) in 1898. He photographed in part to create "documents," as he called his photographs, of architecture and urban views, but he supported himself by selling these photographs to painters as studies. Eugene Atget was born in Bordeaux, France in 1857. 

He studied as an actor at the Conservatoire d'Art Dramatique in Paris but left before taking any exams. Even so he worked as an actor in Paris for some time, where he met his life companion, the actress Valentine Delafosse. His early working life was rather varied, from acting to painting and even being a sailor for a period of time. 

However he also owned a camera and was a keen photographer and at the age of 40 he turned to this photography art form for his career. Eugene Atget noticed that there was a demand for pictures of the old Paris and he spent the early part of his photographic career building up a portfolio of work and clients in this field. His work included photographing old buildings, street vendors, architectural details and buildings that were about to be demolished. Much of his work was aimed at artists and stage designers who would use his photographs as visual aids for their own work. 

Atget used only an old wooden 18 x 24cm camera rather than anything modern at the time, as he said that they worked faster than he could think. In 1920 he sold 2,500 negatives of his work to the Caisse National des Monuments Historiques for around $10,238. This gave him the financial freedom to get more personal preference in his work, which included domestic interiors of people of various social classes, neglected statues, portraits and close up work.

Atget died in Paris in 1927, after which a Bernice Abbott who he had taken a portrait of shortly before his death, bought a large body of his work and began to promote it for its pure photographic qualities. She did this tirelessly until in 1968 New York's Museum of Modern Art purchased his work. A beautiful, complimentary post to the last one on the exhibition Eugène Atget: Old Paris. 

It is interesting to compare the styles of the two photographers and the change in photography that takes place between the 1850s and the 1890s. Baldus’ photographs are eloquent in their grandeur and frontality, tonality and texture. Atget’s photographs on the other hand are slightly claustrophobic in their intensity, the camera obliquely placed to capture old buildings, narrow cobbled streets and distant vanishing points. Both, in their own way, are very modern photographers. Baldus’ legacy, as Dr James Hyman correctly notes, was his influence on his German compatriots such as the Bechers, Thomas Struth and, to a lesser extent, Andreas Gursky.

Eugene Atget's Photographs:

Rue Boutebrie, Paris, 1922

Coin de la rue Valette et Panthèon, Paris, 1925

Photographer 2 : Max Dupain

Maxwell Spencer Dupain (1911-1992) is regarded as one of Australia's greatest photographers. He stressed simplicity and directness in his work, creating images of sharp focus, boldness and graphic composition. He was one of the earliest and most outstanding champions of modernism in Australia. Dupain's working life spans periods of commercial and artistic success, and photographic genres. 

His repertoire includes landscapes, beaches, still life and architecture. His particular love of the latter, coupled with his carefully set up symmetries made him the pre-eminent photographer of Australian architecture for more than 50 years. However, Dupain is best known for his photographs of Australians, particularly their beach culture. 

A dedicated patriot, he believed in clearly and simply showing Australia's way of life. His 1937 photograph ‘Sunbaker’ is arguably his most famous work. For many, it is an iconic image of what it means to be Australian. Dupain tirelessly photographed his beloved homeland, and in particular, Sydney, leaving a legacy of more than one million photographs. Most major Australian galleries, and private collectors worldwide have collected his work. Dupain was born in Ashfield, Sydney, to Ena and George Dupain. He was educated at Sydney Grammar School, where he was a keen rower and lover of English literature and poetry. 

At 13 years of age, Dupain was given his first camera, and quickly developed an interest in photography. He won the Carter Memorial Prize for Productive Use of Spare Time in 1928, and joined the NSW Photographic Society a year later. Here, he met Australian pictorial photography legend, Harold Cazneaux. In 1930, Dupain commenced a three-year education with Sydney photographer Cecil Bostock. 

He learned the techniques of early studio photography, discipline and a rigorous attention to detail. Max Dupain attended Julian Ashton's Art School and enjoyed weekends away with friends (and his Rolleiflex camera). While he half-heartedly produced soft-focus pictorial photographs, such as ‘Weather of Taratus’ (1932), he was inspired by photography that was squarely in the spirit of the time - modern photography. 

In 1934, Dupain set up his own studio in Bond Street, Sydney when he was 23 years old. His commercial output was varied, including fashion photography, portraiture and illustrative photography for clients such as David Jones, the Australian Broadcasting Commission and Sydney Ure Smith's prestigious magazine, The Home. At this time, Dupain continued to absorb the 'modern' ideas from Europe and America. 


New photographers such as Man Ray, Laszlo Moholy Nagy and Walker Evans were among those who inspired his experimental works. in 1971, Dupain moved to a new studio in Artarmon, Sydney, where he worked for his remaining 20 years. Dupain continued photographing architecture, including properties for The Historic Houses Trust; the Australian Embassy in Paris (one of the few times he left Australia); and buildings by architect, Francis Greenway. Many of these images were used in exhibitions and publications. He had a lot of practice which lead him to become a great Photographer.

Max Dupain's Photos

 

Sydney Cove, 1939 

Morning Rush Hour, Sydney harbour Bridge,  1938

Description on Photo of each Photographer

Eugene Atget

Rue Boutebrie, Paris, 1922

This photograph is called Rue Boutebrie. It was taken by the Photographer Eugene Atget in Paris, France. In this photo there is an apartment which is Rue Boutebrie. This photo also includes the road which is going passed the apartment building far ahead. The photo was taken in France in the month of March. The Photo is a Matte Albumen silver print. It was taken on the road of this place. This photo has a good meaning to it because it is showing the perspective from the road or if somebody is standing on the road or perhaps even on a car. This view would be seen if someone is at that position. Eugene Atget took this photo and it brought a lot of meaning to this photograph. It was taken from an angle. 

This photograph is a great example of photos that are just taken and then brings out a meaning into it. From this normal picture, it brings out those meanings. The Artist of this Photograph is trying to bring out that similar thing. This photo may look like just a normal photo taken by Eugene Atget but actually has lots into it. This photo looks like it has a dull type of effect to it which represents the olden times where photos were only black and white. Eugene Atget was famous because of these types of photographs he takes which brings a lot of meaning which is photos taken from an angle which show the perspective from cars and the road. With this it shows the capturing of photos from the views. This photo is very clear and plain but also easy to understand the meaning of. This photo is of Urban environment because it shows that in the picture there is a building that is related to modernism.

This photo may not be very interesting to look into but after knowing the meaning that it has to it, this can become a very interesting piece of work created by someone. Because of all these description and meaning, this would be appealing to a lot of people and then once that happens then this piece of work turns into a masterpiece.

Max Dupain

Morning Rush Hour, Sydney Harbour Bridge, 1938

This Photo is taken by the Photographer Max Dupain. This is taken in Australia in the city of Sydney. As it is seen in this photograph, this is taken at the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It shows the Morning rush hour as there are a lot of cars that are going past. This gives the impression of the rush. These cars are mainly older time cars as it was taken in 1938. This photo is taken to show people the morning time rush hour in 1938. The Photographer's message is to show to audience the rush there is in the mornings. 

The photo is taken from front view. The photograph has no colour in it and it looks like a photograph of the olden times. This photo stands out once people look at it because it is sharp and eye catching. The cars in the photo are big from the front and gets smaller as it get back as it is taken from the front view. Max Dupain's message is quite clear in this photograph which was about the morning rush. Max Dupain came up with taking such photos that were unique. 

This had made him become one of Australia's greatest Photographer. Max Dupain usually took photos that were sharp focused. This Photo is also one of those that were of sharp focus. This piece of art was very well-known. The relationship between the conceptual framework was that what this photo meant to the photographer and what the photographer was try to say to us by this photograph. The Photographer was showing the audience that this photo meant a lot of things also. 

For example the amount of cars were representing the rush hour and secondly where it was taken. It was taken in the city and the Artist is showing the rush at that place early morning which is clearly seen in this Photo. This is a photo with some meaning to it but not as much as some of the other photos that were also taken by Max Dupain, although this turned out to be one of his fine and reasonable artwork.

Bibliography

GovernmentWebsite.2008.http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/max-dupain (accessed on 12th March)

ArtBlart.2012.http://artblart.com/tag/eugene-atget/ (accessed on 12th March)

MaxDupainEhibition.2012.http://www.maxdupain.com.au/gallery6.htm (accessed on 13th March)

UrbanPhotography.2010.http://www.urban-photography-art.com/eugene-atget.html (accessed on 15th March)

V&A.2013.http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1057872/coin-de-la-rue-valette-photograph-atget-jean-eugene (accessed on 17th March)